Collapsible containers are commonly used for transportation and storage of produce or other foods. Typically, collapsible containers have a bottom panel or base, and four sidewalls hinged to the base. These sidewalls are pivotable between collapsed and assembled positions. In the collapsed position, the four sidewalls generally lie stacked on, or parallel to, the base. This position is useful for compact transportation and storage of containers.
From the collapsed position, the sidewalls are pivoted about the base, into the assembled position, such that each wall is approximately orthogonal to the base. To maintain the container in the assembled position, the sidewalls generally include a latching mechanism at each of the four corners.
Many recent containers also include a second collapsed position in which the sidewalls are pivoted outwardly from the base to facilitate cleaning.
Various latching mechanisms are employed with collapsible containers. One example of a latching mechanism is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,056 (Overholt et al.) assigned to Rehrig Pacific Company. Overholt et al. teaches a flexible latch integrally moulded with a sidewall of the container. The latch is resiliently biased to receive a latch member that is integrally moulded with a corresponding sidewall when the container is in the assembled position. To move the sidewalls to a collapsed position, each latch is depressed by pinching a portion of the latch and the corner of the container with one hand while forceably separating the corresponding sidewall with the other hand. This releases the latch member from the latch and the corresponding sidewalls are then pulled apart.
This latch is integrally moulded with the respective sidewall and is difficult to flex, requiring a large applied force to release each latch member from each corresponding latch. Further, each latch mechanism must be actuated individually while pulling the corresponding sidewalls apart. This container is therefore awkward and can be time-consuming to collapse from the assembled position.
It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved latch mechanism for a collapsible container for easier, less awkward collapsing of the container.